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Injury Notes: Ferland, Stone, Leivo, Rust

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Calgary Flames winger Micheal Ferland has rejoined his teammates in Nashville today after being quarantined for almost a week. The 24-year old had showed signs of the mumps outbreak that had swept through the NHL briefly, but is now symptom free. He’ll be back in on the top line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan tonight, according to Kristen Odland of Postmedia.

Here are some other injury notes from around the league:

  • Josh Leivo will take the spot of the injured Eric Fehr in tonight’s Maple Leafs lineup according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. With Nikita Soshnikov still on the mend following a big hit from Zdeno Chara, Leivo will look to get back to his scoring ways tonight. The young winger had nine points in a ten game stretch last month when Mitch Marner was dealing with an injury, and has considerable offensive upside. He’ll slot in on the fourth line tonight beside Brian Boyle and Matt Martin.
  • Despite skating with the team in a regular jersey this morning, Cedric Paquette will not return to the lineup for Tampa Bay according to Caley Chelios of FOX Sports. The Lightning center will remain out alongside Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson for the time being.
  • On Stamkos, he was seen skating again before practice, but admitted to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times that “time is running out” for him to return this season. Stamkos has been skating for weeks as he tries to come back from a meniscus tear in his right knee. The Lightning are currently sitting five points back with ten games to play.
  • Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone was back skating this morning, though he won’t play tonight. Stone was out early and stayed late at practice as he works hard to get back into the Senators lineup. The team can smell first place in the Atlantic Division, and getting Stone—arguably their best forward—back before the end of the season could help them wrestle the crown away from the Montreal Canadiens. With a matchup against the fourth Metropolitan team looming in the first round, whether they should really want it is a different story.
  • Penguins’ forward Bryan Rust is almost back in the lineup reports Bill West of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review after taking part in just about everything at today’s Pittsburgh practice. Though he won’t play tonight, the 24-year old forward will likely be back in a game before the end of the week; the Penguins take on Ottawa tonight, New York (Islanders) tomorrow and Philadelphia on Sunday.
  • Three goaltenders were at practice today for the Anaheim Ducks, including John Gibson as he continues to rehab his latest injury. Head coach Randy Carlyle said today that Gibson will definitely play before the end of the regular season, though that still leaves the question of whether he’ll be tested enough to start game one of the playoffs. We’ll see how many games the young netminder gets in before Anaheim has to take on a team like the Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames in the first round.

Minor Moves: McKenzie, Green, Beauvillier, Hronek

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As many non-professional seasons come to an end across North America and the world, players are starting to sign with their respective organizations to get a taste of the AHL and what lies beyond for them in their hockey careers. Here are some of the latest signings around the league:

  • The Utica Comets have signed Brett McKenzie to an amateur tryout after his season ended in the OHL. The North Bay Battalion forward was a point-per-game player for the first time in his junior career and led his team in goals with 29. Selected in the seventh round last season in his final year of draft eligibility, McKenzie will try to adapt his all-around game to the AHL level.
  • Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun reports that the Manitoba Moose have signed Luke Green an ATO. The third-round pick of the Jets this past draft had an outstanding year in the QMJHL, scoring 37 points in 60 games split between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Sherbrooke Phoenix. The 19-year old defenseman will have to return to the junior ranks next year if he doesn’t make the Jets out of camp—which would be quite a feat considering the names he would have to beat out on the right side.
  • Wiebe also tells us that the Moose have given Francis Beauvillier an ATO, one of the first out of the CIS (Canadian University) ranks this season. Beauvillier was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2012, but failed to sign with the team before heading to the University of New Brunswick. He even played eight games for the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL in 2013 on a similar deal.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have assigned both Givani Smith and Filip Hronek to Grand Rapids after their OHL seasons ended. Both players are already signed to their entry-level contracts, but will not burn a year due to their age as long as they stay in the AHL. Smith leaves the Guelph Storm after another season of moderate point totals and big penalty minutes. A second-round pick in 2016, the winger scored 44 points while collecting 139 penalty minutes in 64 games. Hronek on the other hand—also a second-round pick last summer—excelled in his first taste of North American hockey, scoring 61 points in 59 games. The Czech defenseman was the fourth-highest scoring defender in the OHL, showing his immense upside for the Saginaw Spirit.
  • As expected, Adam Ollas-Mattsson has joined the Stockton Heat on an ATO, coming over from his Swedish team. The 20-year old was a sixth-round pick for the Flames in 2014, and has been playing professional hockey since he was 17.

Evening Notes: Tavares, Fowler, Elliott, Prospects

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TSN’s “Insider Trading” segment is always good for some tidbits of news, and the trio of Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun, and Bob McKenzie delivered earlier today. We’ve compiled some of their more notable remarks below:

  • If the two sides can’t come to an agreement prior to the beginning of July, Dreger wouldn’t be shocked if the Islanders consider trading star John Tavares. While fans may not like to hear it, the insider believes the organization would be smart to get something for the All-Star. Of course, he notes that an extension isn’t necessarily less likely than a trade.
  • Cam Fowler has one year left on his deal, and LeBrun says the Ducks have had talks with the 25-year-old camp’s regarding an extension. With so many talented defensemen in the organization and the impending expansion draft, LeBrun says Anaheim needs to make a decision on Fowler sooner than later.
  • If prospect Colin White signs an entry-level contract and plays even one game for the Senators this season, he’ll essentially “burn” the first year of the contract. Bob McKenzie says that organization is “absolutely adamant” that they won’t compromise this flexibility, which could end up being a sticking point between the two sides. The reporter notes that the Senators would prefer to sign White to an amateur tryout agreement and have him finish the season with Binghamton in the AHL.
  • On the flip side, the Canucks are willing to “burn” the first season of Brock Boeser’s entry-level contract. Curiously, Vancouver is out of the playoff picture, so there isn’t a clear incentive to wasting the flexibility.
  • Brian Elliott would like to stick with the Flames, but LeBrun notes that the organization doesn’t want any distractions right now. The team is interested in retaining the goaltender, but they’d prefer to delay negotiations until after the season.

Draft Pick Notes: White, Johansson, Radke, Mattsson

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Jeff Cox is reporting that the Ottawa Senators and prospect Colin White will be signing a contract within the next 24 hours, though still there is no indication whether it will be for this year or next. Recently we wrote about the choice the Senators and White have, between adding him for a playoff run and burning a year of his entry-level contract, or signing him to an amateur tryout and letting him get his feet wet in Binghamton before likely making the roster next season.

White has had another solid season at Boston College, and is widely expected to turn pro. The 21st-overall pick in 2015 has shown an ability to play in both ends of the rink, and could legitimately help a team that has had injury troubles over the past month. Since White is already 20 years old, he would not fall under any entry-level slide regardless of how many games he plays. If the contract is signed for this year to allow him to play in the NHL, he would burn a year.

  • Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that Emil Johansson could join the Providence Bruins this weekend. Boston’s seventh-round pick in 2014 had a very good season for Djurgardens of the Swedish Hockey League, scoring 17 points in 49 games and generally playing more than 20 minutes a night on the team’s top pairing. If he does come over to North America he’ll be an interesting name for the Bruins to follow, to see if he can develop into a NHL-capable puck moving defenseman.
  • The Stockton Heat—Calgary’s AHL affiliate—have signed Adam Ollas-Mattsson to an ATO, bringing him over from Sweden where he had been playing with Johansson for Djurgardens. Not playing nearly as much, though still suiting up for 52 games, Ollas-Mattsson registered just four points this season. The sixth-round pick of the Flames in 2014, he possesses size and strength capable of playing against grown men and has shown it since he was 17 in the highest Swedish league.
  • Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Roy Radke has signed an ATO with the Rockford IceHogs after his OHL season finished. The sixth-round pick of the Blackhawks had 36 points in 45 games this season for the Barrie Colts, and will try to prove he deserves an entry-level contract this summer. The 20-year old hasn’t developed into the power forward Chicago had hoped for, though obviously there is still quite a while before you can write him off.

Calgary Flames Call Up Garnet Hathaway From AHL

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After Matthew Tkachuk was given a two-game suspension yesterday for his elbow on Drew Doughty, the Calgary Flames have recalled Garnet Hathaway according to Roger Millions of Sportsnet. Tkachuk will miss games against the Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators, two teams they could really use his skill against.

Hathaway has split the year between the Flames and Heat, playing in 26 and 20 games respectively for the two clubs. His 15 points at the AHL level have been a nice surprise from a player who has never really scored at that rate before. Known more for his grit and physical game, Hathaway provides the Flames with an option for their bottom six that won’t hurt you defensively if they decide to go that way.

The other option to re-insert into the lineup is Freddie Hamilton who, as Millions points out, brings a bit more speed and skill to the table. Hamilton has been an excellent offensive player in the AHL, but has never been able to duplicate that at the NHL level. In 22 games for the Flames this year, he has just a single point.

Matthew Tkachuk Suspended Two Games

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The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk two games tonight. The DoPS reviewed Tkachuk’s elbow on Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty in last night’s matchup between the Flames and the Kings. According to TSN.ca, Tkachuk will forfeit $10,277.78 in salary, with that amount going to the Players Emergency Assistance Fund.

Tkachuk will miss the Flames’ games against the Washington Capitals and the Nashville Predators. The Calgary rookie is having an excellent season stat-wise, scoring 13G and 33A in 68 career games. The feisty forward was not expected to make it out of training camp, but his excellent play forced Calgary’s hand.

The Los Angeles Kings play the Flames twice more this season. It is possible that the Kings play Tkachuk a bit chippier than usual in those games.

Morning Notes: Giroux, White, Tkachuk

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If Philadelphia Flyers fans are wondering where this Claude Giroux has been all season—the captain has points in eight of his last eleven games—they might not be shocked to find out that he’s been playing injured. Marc Narducci of The Inquirer reports that despite telling media members that he was fully healthy prior to the start of the season, he has been anything but 100% this year. The hip that required surgery last spring has bothered him all year, restricting his ability to “try to make plays you used to make.”

Giroux only now is starting to feel like himself, and it’s showing on the score sheet. It might be coming just a little too late though, as the Flyers remain five points back of the Maple Leafs for the final playoff spot, despite having played one more game. There are just eleven contests left for Philadelphia, who sit 33-30-8 on the year.

  • Decision day is looming for the Ottawa Senators and prospect Colin White, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. The first-round pick from 2015 has just finished his sophomore season with Boston College, and is looking to go pro. As Garrioch writes, Ottawa doesn’t want to sign him to an entry-level deal for this season and burn a year over the last few weeks. They’d rather go the more common route of an amateur tryout for the rest of the year, and start his ELC in 2017-18. They’ll likely come to some sort of an agreement soon, as it doesn’t seem like either side is expecting him to head back to BC next season. The 20-year old center had 33 points in 35 games this season, actually a slight step back from his production as a freshman. He is as blue-chip a prospect as the Senators have (right alongside Thomas Chabot), and they will carefully consider their options before agreeing to anything.
  • The hockey world was in a buzz this morning over the elbow of Matthew Tkachuk, after the Flames’ rookie sent it hard into the face of Drew Doughty in last night’s game. Doughty would drop to the ice immediately, while no penalty was assessed on the play. Tkachuk will receive a hearing with the league and though he has no official history of supplementary discipline, players around the league have come to expect things like this from him. As Doughty told Jon Rosen of FOX Sports after the game, “he’s a pretty dirty player, that kid. To be a rookie and play like that is a little surprising.” 

Calgary Flames Sign Tyler Parsons and Ryan Lomberg

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The Calgary Flames signed a three-year, entry-level deal with drafted goaltender Tyler Parsons today. The Flames drafted Parsons 54th overall (2nd round) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Parson currently plays for the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League.

The signing caps a successful year for Parsons. The American goaltender led Team USA to a gold medal at the World Junior Championships this winter—stopping 46 shots in the gold medal game. Parsons currently sports a 2.18 GAA and a .917 SV% with the London Knights, and backstopped them to a Memorial Cup last season. Parsons started the season at the Flames training camp, and even played a period against the Vancouver Canucks.

The signing precedes a summer where the Flames need to decide who plays between the pipes. Both Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson are free agents at the end of the year, and it is unclear whether Calgary re-signs either. Elliott’s play has improved as of late, but his early troubles will not shake his reputation as a streaky goaltender.

The Flames also signed forward Ryan Lomberg to a two-year, two-way deal starting next season. Lomberg currently plays for the AHL Stockton Heat where he has 8G and 11A in 57 games. The 22 year-old Ontario native went undrafted before signing an AHL deal in 2015.

Minor Transactions: 3/18/17

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Here is where we’ll keep tabs on today’s minor roster moves:

  • Tomas Nosek’s stint in Detroit only lasted a few hours as the Red Wings announced that he had been returned to Grand Rapids of the AHL after being recalled on an emergency basis this morning. The forward has yet to get into any games with the Wings this year but sits fifth in scoring with the AHL’s Griffins with 15 goals and 24 assists in 48 games.  Considering Darren Helm went down with an injury against the Avalanche this afternoon, there’s a chance Nosek could be back up with the big club before long.
  • With defenseman Paul Postma set to miss tomorrow’s game and Jacob Trouba out on more than a day-to-day basis, the Jets announced that they have recalled blueliner Brian Strait from AHL Manitoba. After spending the past three seasons exclusively in the NHL with the Islanders, the 29 year old has yet to suit up with Winnipeg this season.  In 50 minor league contests, Strait has two goals and 10 assists.
  • Flames goalie Brian Elliott returned to the lineup last night and as a result, they terminated the emergency recall conditions on Jon Gillies and assigned him back to Stockton of the AHL. Gillies is in his second professional season and has played in 34 games this season for the Heat, posting a 14-14-1 record with a 2.97 GAA and a .909 SV%.

Snapshots: Matthias, Western Playoff Race, Jagr

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The Winnipeg Jets will be without forward Shawn Matthias for the remainder of the season, the team announced Saturday.

The first sign of trouble was on Wednesday, when Matthias missed practice. He was held out of the Jets’ last game with an upper-body injury. Matthias has eight goals and 12 points in 45 games this season, his first in Winnipeg after signing a two-year, $4.25MM contract in free agency. He split last season between Toronto and Colorado.

Detroit’s second round pick in 2006 has played 524 NHL games, scoring 171 points with Florida, Vancouver, Toronto, Colorado, and Winnipeg.

  • With just 11 or 12 games remaining, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector broke down the schedules for the Western Conference teams involved in a tight playoff race. Anaheim, Calgary, and Edmonton are within two points of each other, and will likely finish two-through-four in the Pacific Division. The Oilers have a game in hand on both teams, and play the Canucks tonight. Spector gives Edmonton the advantage in home games, strength of opponent, and ease of the final week of the season. Calgary gets the nod for having back-to-backs and getting tired opponents. Anaheim’s biggest advantage comes during a home-and-home series with the Flames in early April; Calgary hasn’t won in Anaheim since January 2004. The next team in the Pacific, Los Angeles, is four points behind St. Louis for the second wildcard spot. At eight points back, they have a slim chance at catching the next three teams, but do get Edmonton and Calgary three times each.
  • With two assists last night, NHL legend and Panthers winger Jaromir Jagr passed Gordie Howe for most points scored by a player in his 40s, with 269. The 45-year-old told Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel that he’s “going to pass [Howe] for most points after 50.” For the record, Howe had 41 points in 1979-80 a 51-year-old in his return to the NHL after six years in the WHA.

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